Take survey by Dec. 18 on transforming community safety

Provide your input on what community safety looks like and tell us your ideas about a new model of community safety for Minneapolis. You can take the survey in English, Spanish, Somali, Hmong or Oromo.

The survey has been extended to Dec. 18 to hear from more voices for the first phase of survey results, which is planned to be presented to council in early January. Input provided after Dec. 18 will continue to be used for future engagement phases.

In June 2020, the City Council pledged to create a new model of community safety. As part of that, the council committed to a yearlong process of community engagement. This survey is one of the first steps in that process. Through the survey, you can share your vision for a new community safety model. You can also provide ideas for how to accomplish that new model.

Read more. 

Council finally passed the Exterior Shutter ordinance last week, officially allowing commercial properties to add exterior security shutters to their buildings if desired. The ordinance remained very simple, stipulating only that the shutters be retractable and remain open during business hours, and that no advertising may be placed on them. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the association for clarifications.

MONTHLY UPDATE. Overall, the map is showing fewer incidents in the Southwest district than we were seeing over the summer. Vehicle thefts and thefts from vehicles continue to be the most prominent issues throughout the district. North of 36th St and East of the lake sees much heavier criminal activity than the rest of Southwest. Please join the Southwest Crime Watch group on Facebook to share information with each other, including any video or description of suspects. If you have any specific questions or concerns, please reach out to SWBA.

West of the Lakes:

• 1 individual robbery

• 1 house burglary

South of the Creek:

• 1 sexual assault (along the creek)

• 2 aggravated assaults

• 6 home burglaries

• 4 commercial burglaries

East of the Lakes between 36th and the Creek:

• 1 shoplifting

• 4 commercial burglaries

• 1 aggravated assault

• 3 individual robberies

East of the Lake between Lake and 36th:

• 1 shoplifting

• 12 commercial burglaries

• 7 home burglaries

• 3 aggravated assaults

• 3 assaults

• 2 commercial robberies

• 5 individual robberies

• (this area has over 2x the motor vehicle crimes as the other 3)

The City has declared Thursday as Human Rights Day. If you are doing anything special to recognize it, please let us know so we can share what you've got going on!

https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/Download/File/4657/Human%20Rights%20Day%20Honorary%20Resolution.pdf

De-escalation Training: Managing the Mental Health Crisis

December 17th 1PM

This de-escalation training will help build skills around the prevention of and intervention in mental health crisis and wellness recovery. The training will be conducted by Mark Anderson, Executive Director of the Barbara Schneider Foundation trainer (bio below).

TOPICS:

• Understanding mental health crisis

• Physical safety

• Special intervention techniques

• Maintaining professional boundaries

• The whole person in crisis

• Verbal and non-verbal de-escalation tactics and strategies

Mark Anderson is Executive Director of the Barbara Schneider Foundation, an organization named for a woman who was tragically killed by responding officers in the year 2000 in her own home when she was in mental health crisis. The Foundation works with police, jails, hospitals, social workers, educators, local government, courts and community members to improve the response to individuals who are in mental health crisis and to prevent crisis. He was a policy aide to U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone from 1990-2002 on all his mental health, health care and human rights reform initiatives in the US Senate and has been the founding Executive Director of the Barbara Schneider Foundation since 2002.

Microsoft Teams meeting

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/ap/t-59584e83/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%253ameeting_MzdjMWNlZTktZGRkMy00NjAyLWJhNmEtNDY1YTgyMWZiZjI2%2540thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%25220bfb3f5a-e8ea-4d54-b021-2b2f910c715f%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%252265cc98b0-abc4-45a7-9b89-e9cb62ea8837%2522%257d&data=04%7C01%7Csmallbusiness%40minneapolismn.gov%7C057a4d75e97d44be9aae08d8988706ee%7C0bfb3f5ae8ea4d54b0212b2f910c715f%7C0%7C0%7C637427052991498488%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=NnLkXytQ7oA%2FVz5CRnwWfrmL53tjb8hNosemZYIUOik%3D&reserved=0

Or call in (audio only)

+1 612-276-6670,,260387946# United States, Minneapolis

Phone Conference ID: 260 387 946#

Find a local number | Reset PIN

Learn more and register at: https://business.mplschamber.com/events/details/elevate-business-hc-webinar-technology-in-the-age-of-covid-e-commerce-and-websites-13457

Many of us made use of the PPP program this year, and have been fretting over the process of applying for forgiveness. I came across a great article by CO- magazine, published by the US Chamber of Commerce, that summarizes great sources for tutorials and advice in doing just that. We're nearing the timeframe where applications need to be submitted, so I wanted to share with you all. Access Article

If you have already applied for forgiveness and have any tips or advice, we'd love for you to share in our Member Forums! We're not alone when we all work together. Forgiveness Forum

The Governor and State Legislature are working together to create a relief package for our small businesses as we endure another round of closures. Hang in there everybody. Hopefully the state effort will bridge the gap until another Federal package is available.

See the Star Tribune Story

Xcel Energy is committed to helping businesses get back on their feet after being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic or civil unrest, and a new program coming soon will help provide some relief to businesses that were hard hit. Small businesses that saw an electric load decrease of 25% or more as a direct result of the pandemic or civil unrest may qualify for a 25% discount on the base energy and demand charges on their Xcel Energy electric bill from Jan. 1 through Aug. 31, 2021. To find out more and apply for the discount, businesses can contact their dedicated Xcel Energy account manager or fill out the interest form at xcelenergy.com/MNPandemicRecovery.

Thanks to Nikki at Victor's 1959 Cafe for sharing this out. If you know of assistance that other businesses may benefit from, please let us know!

Elevate Business HC is excited to introduce its series of free topic-driven webinars featuring industry and subject matter experts that will discuss issues facing employers with a focus on workforce needs in remote environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar series runs from Tuesday, Dec. 1 through Thursday, Dec.10. Topics will include:

• Technology in the Age of COVID: Managing and Streamlining Platforms
• Human Resources: An Overview of Hiring Practices in the Virtual Age
• Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing: Build your Resilience

Register now

Elevate Business HC also has technical assistance offerings and peer roundtables. Visit https://www.elevatebusinesshc.com/home to learn more and register your business today.